Health: Study on use of antipressants by pregnant women yields mixed results

July 9, 2015Updated: July 9, 2015 9:58pm

Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have weighed in on the debate about the use of a class of antidepressants known as SSRIs during pregnancy and birth defects, confirming a link with some but not others.

The drug most commonly used by the study participants was Zoloft (sertraline), followed by Prozac (fluoxetine) Paxil (paroxetine), Celexa (citalopram), and Lexapro (escitalopram).

While previous studies had shown associations between sertraline and five kinds of birth defects, the CDC study was unable to confirm any of them. Researchers did find reason to be concerned about two other SSRIs, however. Children born to mothers who had taken paroxetine had a higher incidence of anencephaly, in which a baby is born without parts of the brain and skull, as well as defects of the heart and abdominal wall. Fluoxetine was associated with higher incidence of a heart defect and craniosyntosis, a condition that affects a baby's skull.

Pain relievers get new risk label

Federal health regulators are bolstering warning labels on popular pain relievers like Advil and Aleve, adding new information about the risks of heart attack and stroke.

Language on the anti-inflammatory pills currently warns that they can increase the risk of heart-related problems if used long term. However, the new warning states that heart attack and stroke can occur in the first few weeks.

Translator

To read this article in one of Houston's most-spoken languages, click on the button below.